|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 331 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  182

Yekashcharen Mahimetham Nissanga: Samgathendhriya: | Athmakreeda Athmaratha Athmavan Samadharshana: ||

Bhagavan speaks “Oh! Udhdhava, a Vanaprastha takes shelter in the woods, living on fiber roots and fruits, attired in minimum clothes of leaves  and roam around with no 'I' or body consciousness, will have perfect control over senses, will not bother about extreme cold or heat, conduct extreme meditation and penances,  lives in the union of Bhramam/supreme bliss, did not find any difference in him and living and non-living things will have no bondage at all, even his own sense will not create an obstacle for Moksha,  they roam around with no restrictions, never bother about Shuchi or bath, always remains in a state of bliss, finally leaves the lion clothes, in this way Vanashrami lives in the woods.  Oh! Udhdhava, you attained the body of a human to immerse in Bhramavichara, therefore accept me as your preceptor, always remember the ultimate truth, while taking pleasure in the material living, you have to elevate your soul through Dhyana, Japa, Thapa, Bhajan on a regular basis, and worship me with Ananya bhakti/realization of the knowledge of ‘self’ and contemplate upon me.  Oh! Udhdhava, The knowledge of ‘oneness-in-all’ and my all-pervasive nature would enhance your devotion.  Oh! Udhdhava, Whoever practices firm devotion and contemplate upon me would attain Gnana and Vignana, ultimately they will attain my nearness, like the rivers constantly flow to attains the union with the ocean.  Oh! Udhdhava, Gnana/wisdom and Vignana/practicality of the knowledge is the supreme method to attain intense devotion and faith upon me.”

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 330 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  181

Bhagavan speaks “ Oh! Udhdhava, get yourself freed from attachment to people and families, and understand the fact that they cannot be with you always, and remember the eternal truth of the destructible nature of people, wealth, money, richness, fame etc.. While living in the association of Puthra/son, Dhara/wife, Apthabandhu/close relatives, remember that you all have assembled in a shelter home and all have to depart their own ways, considered it as a dream.  All the relationships are formed with the influence of ‘Time’ and gradually it will get removed by the passage of ‘Time’.  The weak-minded are drenched in material welfare, possessions, body, people, money, richness, fame, etc., an ignorant constantly worries about the aged parents, wife, children, and grandchildren, get fastened in the material world and bondage and hurl themselves to the cycles of birth and death.  The strong-minded realizes the impermanent nature of Prakrithi and contemplates upon the supreme Purusha who resides as a soul in living beings and elevates their soul and attain liberation from the cycles of repeated births.  Whoever chases the material well-being, people, wealth, money and richness, are fools, he/she will never find happiness or satisfaction in their life, people who constantly seek for sensual pleasure, is equivalent to dead, they are living in the darkness of ignorance and hurling them into cycles of repeated births.”

Yasthvasaktha  Mathirgehe Puthra Viththaishanathura: | Sthraina: Kripanadheer Moodo Mamahamithi Badhyathe || Aho Me Pitharau Vridhdhau Barya Balathmajathmaja: | Anatha Mamrithe Dheena: Katham Jeevanthi Dhukhitha :|| Yevam Grihashaya Kshiptha Hridhayo  Moodadheerayam | Athriptha Sthanudhyayan Mrithoandham Vishathe Thama: ||

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 329 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  180

The Panchabhoothas/Earth, Air, Ether, Water, Fire, Panchaththava, Panchendhriya, Karmendhriya are collectively known as cosmic energy, and the supreme soul is known as ‘Conscious energy’.  The ultimate truth is that the Prapancha/Prakrithi is the field of cosmic energy that undergoes constant transformation and the ruins, and the conscious energy is eternal and changeless.   In scriptures, conscious energy and cosmic energy is named as Purusha and Prakrithi respectively.  The people who are soaked in worldly matters and bondages get disturbed easily mentally; physically get exhausted due to their isolation from the conscious energy.  Therefore meditation is an essential activity to bring balance between the cosmic and conscious energies, it helps to revitalize the mind and body with conscious energy.  The meditation and Pranayama is the act of union of cosmic energy with the conscious energy, it was the highest of the revelation made by the Rishis, the knowledge of variations in the cosmic energy level in the body would drain the individual mentally and physically, hence the requirement to rejuvenate the mind and body with the practice of meditation.  They have chosen dense forest, Riverside, and streams where the increased quantity of the flow of cosmic energy exists, as the best locations or hut or houses constructed in pyramid shapes, allows the flow of cosmic energy abundantly, as an appropriate place to conduct meditation and Pranayama.  They also found the cosmic energy/Prakrithi cannot survive without the existence of conscious energy/Purusha.  The regular practice of meditation and Pranayama brings incredible results in the human body and mind as well.  It removes the cluster of unwanted thoughts, mental and physical fatigue, revives great energy level, enthusiasm, clarity of thoughts, serenity, creativity, and increases the overall performance of an individual.

Maharishi Vedavyasa wrote several scriptures, Ithihas and Purans and categorized Vedas, at the end realized that he’s not satisfied even after composing numerous scriptures, met Maharishi Narada who advised the Chathushloki Bhagavath and contemplate upon Supreme Lord.  Maharishi Vedavyasa conducted meditation for several years; as a result of his meditation, a marvelous composition was born which speaks highly about Bakthi/devotion, Gnana/wisdom and Vairagya/abandonment.  The devotion of knowledge of the Supreme Lord who resides as soul and his all-pervasive nature, Gnan/wisdom is the realization of ‘self’ with the practice of meditation and Pranayama and Vairagya is the detachment to the material world and bondage with the knowledge that people, wealth, money, richness, fame, etc.. are impermanent nature.

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 328 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  179

Udhdhava speaks “ Oh! Bhagavan, Oh! Aravindhaksha, Oh! Madhava, How did a person from Varnnashrama Dharma follow the methods of Dhyana Yoga?  How did a Grihasthashrami would perform all those methods of Dhyana Yoga you have described? How did they practice Dhyana Yoga and other household duties and responsibilities simultaneously? Oh! Prabho, kindly describe Sarvadharma, Bhakthilakshana, and Thaththvam.”

Bhagavan speaks “Oh! Udhdhava, I shall describe the Varnnashrama in detail.  There are four Yugas known as Krita, Thretha, Dwapara, and Kaliyuga.  In the Krita Yuga all were Bhramanas/twice-born, they have attained the Bhrama Thaththvam with intense penance and austerities, therefore while living in the family they did not find it difficult in attaining the supreme Bhramam and abandon the family life whenever it requires.  In the Thretha Yuga, it was difficult to perform penance and austerities, so the Yajja and Yaga practices have come into existence.  In the Dwapara Yuga, there was a lot of difference of opinions and arguments raised; therefore the practice of worship of idols came into existence.  In the Kali Yuga, the grief and miseries of the people has multiplied, people have become selfish, unkind, and wicked natured, had a short life span and less memory, none of the above methods of realization of Bhramam, penance, or performance of Yaga or worship of idol did not help them, therefore the recitation of sacred names of supreme Lord, reading and reciting the glorious myths of supreme Lord has come into existence.”

Bhagavan continues “ Oh! Udhdhava, there are four Varnnashrama, such as Bhramachari, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasashrama.  A  Brahmachari is who has good control over senses with the knowledge of impermanent nature of Prakrithi, material well-being, people, and fame, followed with strict food habits, follows the spiritual practices contemplating upon the supreme Bhramam to elevate his soul. A Grihasthashrami is who has a sense of self-sacrifice, kindness, humility, simplicity, with the constant contemplation upon the supreme Lord. A Vanaprasthashrami is who has the sense of renunciation/abandonment, conducts pilgrimage, and contemplate upon the supreme Lord.  A Sanyasashrami is the one who is completely surrendered to the supreme Lord.”

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 327 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  178

Aham Athma Udhdhava Esham Bhoothanam Suhrith Eshwara: | Aham Sarvani Bhoothani Thesham Sthithyuthbavapyaya: ||

Udhdhava speaks “ Oh! Bhagavan, how did an ordinary person who has no knowledge of spirituality or methods of worship, etc. already stuck in the cluster of unwanted thoughts, unable to know about the subtle nature of you, how did he worship? Where should he start? Kindly narrate about it, so that it would be useful for all.”

Bhagavan speaks “ Oh! Udhdhava, It was the same question asked by Arjuna who was besieged with extreme perplexity about the outcome of the War, I have explained to him the glorious Gita on the battlefield, at that moment, he asked the same question to me. Later, Arjuna found it difficult to recollect them, was repeated as Anugita; I shall narrate the same to you.  Oh! Udhdhava, I  am Eshwara, reside as a soul and constant companion  in living beings, I am your ultimate asylum/creator and preserver, the human body is under the constant influence of ‘Time’, I represent that ‘Time’, mind and intellect belongs to eternal truth/supreme soul and the body belongs to Prakrithi, Oh! Udhdhava, I represent Purusha and Prakrithi as well, I symbolize Guna and I am void  of ‘Time’ and ‘Guna’, I am eternal.  The mind and intellect originated from the supreme soul is difficult to win over from the thoughts, I represent ‘Akara’, Akshara, Pranava, Veda, Manthra, Chandhass, I represent Lord Indra who is the Lord of deities, Vasu, Aditya, Vishnu, Rudra, Neelalohitha, Bhramarishi Bhrigu, Rajarshi Manu, Devarishi Narada, Dhenu in Havirdhanya, Kapila in Sidhdheshwara, Suparna in leaves, Daksha  in Prajapathi, Aryama in Pithrus, Vidhyudhdhava in  Dhaithya, Prahladha in Asura, Soma in Stars and Lord of herbs, Dhanesha/Lord Kubera in Yaksharakshasa, Airavatha in Gajendra, Yadhasa,  Varuna, Surya, Bhoopathi among humans, Ucchaishravas, precious yellow metal, Vasuki, Anantha, Shringi,  Ganga, Saras, Dhanu, Meru, Himalaya, Vanaspathi, Yava, Vashishta,  Brihaspati, Sarvasenani Skandha, Bhramayajjam,  and AVihimsinam.  Oh! Udhdhava, I represent the five essential elements known as Air, water, ether, earth, and fire, I symbolize Athmasamrodha in Yoga, Vijigeeshatha in Manthra, Anvikshiki, Vikalpa, Shatharoopa in Sthree, Swayambhuva Manu, Narayana Rishi, Kumara Bhramachari, Sanyasa in Dharma, Bahirmathi in  Kshema, Sunritham and Maunam in Guhya, Rithu Madhumadhava, Masam Margasheersham, Nakshathranam Abijith, Yuga, Dhwaipayana, Vasudeva, Hanuman, Sudharshana, Padmaraga in gems, Dharbha in Kusha, Lakshmi, Thithiksha, Saththvam, Oja, Saha, Bala, Adimoorthi, Vishwavasu, Gandharva, Apsara, Vibhavasu, sound,  Surya, Thara, Indhu, Nabas, Mahabali/Bhramanya who has lost all the wealth except Bhramanyam, Arjuna in valor, I am the creator and preserver as well.  Oh! Udhdhava, I represent supreme wisdom and highest philosophies. Oh! Udhdhava, whoever does not make an effort to change their disruptive attitude/unenthusiastic and unpleasant words, even after the constant meditation and contemplation, and engages Thapas, Dhanam and Vratham would be same as water stored in an unbaked mud pot.  Oh! Udhdhava, therefore surrender your words, mind, and intellect, to me and contemplate upon me with intense devotion and faith, elevate your soul and attain union with me. ”

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 326 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  177

Udhdhava speaks “Oh! Bhagavan,  Oh! Acchyutha, you have described the practice of meditation and Pranayama provides fruitful results/ Siddhi, kindly narrate that to me.”

Bhagavan speaks “Oh! Udhdhava, I shall narrate the Ashtasiddhis to you, Anima, Mahima, Laghima, Garima, Prapthi, Prakamya, Eshithvam, and Vashithvam, and there are numerous Siddhis like Parakayapraveshanam/entering into the body of another person, Dhoorashravana Dharshanam, Swacchandhamrithyu, etc.  Oh! Udhdhava, Even though there are countless supernatural powers to name, I shall describe the superior Siddhi which is supreme bliss is the constant union with the supreme soul who resides as soul in you. The practice of meditation is the union of mind and intellect to supreme soul/Vishnu, who is all-pervasive, he is the protector of the shrine/Kshethrapalaka and Kshethrajja/resides as the soul in the body, to reach the highest state of ‘Thureeya’/Narayana, therefore whoever contemplates upon the ‘Formless one’ enjoys the supreme bliss/Kaivalyam/absence of thoughts, in this way elevates their souls.  Oh! Udhdhava, whoever contemplates upon me, with the constant practice of Pranayama and meditation elevates their souls and get relieved from miseries and sorrows of worldly existence with the constant remembrance of impermanent nature of the material well-being.  Oh! Udhdhava, who practices me, abandoning their ‘I’ consciousness, and contemplating upon me would realizes the knowledge of impermanent nature of Prakrithi/Sthooladhrishti and get detached from it, and attain the Sookshmadhrishiti/realization of me/supreme Lord as their constant companion.”

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 325 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  176

Bhagavan continues “ Oh! Udhdhava, concentrate your vision on my glorious appearance from toe to head, finally fix your gaze on my smiling face and elevate your soul, gradually forget all that you have imagined, and gradually it will take you a state of absence of thoughts.  Further, unite your soul with the knowledge of supreme soul resides in you, like the spark of fire merges in the fire.  Oh! Udhdhava whoever practices the above-mentioned method of Pranayama with utmost sincerity and dedication, would unite their mind with mine/supreme soul and attains the state of ‘ BhramaNirvana’ it would remove the anxiousness about Dhravyam/wealth, material possessions, and Kriya/deeds.  Eventually, it will provide various Siddhis as a result of the intense practice of meditation and Pranayama.”

The practice of spirituality is an experience, can be attained through Pranayama and meditation which helps to control the cluster of thoughts, and remove the unwanted thoughts.  The mind and intellect has immense potential to hold on to unwanted thoughts as well as release them, the practice of Pranayama eradicates cluster of unwanted thoughts, brings overall mental and physical health.  It is a tremendous technique to achieve peace and serenity of the mind, remove mental and physical exhaustion, and improves the creativity and productivity that reflects in every walk of life of the individual.  It is the practice of mind and intellect to get rid of interest in worldly matters, people, wealth, richness, fame, etc. which has impermanent nature causes extreme agony and sorrow, and contemplating upon the supreme soul who resides as the soul in us.